408/10 (133.0)
CR : 3.07
RR : 0.00
Match Drawn
Player of the Match
Sarfaraz Ahmed
78(109) & 118(176)
The umpires talking again. OH!!!! What an anticlimactic end!!! The umpires decide that the light is not good enough for further play. The players shake hands and the match ends in a draw.
Match Drawn
18:24 IST| Hitesh: What a terrific test match we have witnessed!!! It all went down to the wire and the match ended as a draw. New Zealand was just a wicket away from victory and Pakistan was just 15 runs away from victory. Pakistan has failed to win a test match this home season as they lost 4 matches and 4 matches ended as a draw.
Earlier in the match, New Zealand won the toss and elected to bat first. They scored 449 in the first innings. Devon Conway scored his century, he played a fantastic inning of 122 runs. Tom Latham and Tom Blundell scored 71 and 51 runs respectively in the first innings. Interestingly in the first innings. Pakistan struggled to pick the last wicket of the blackcaps, as Matt Henry(68*) and Ajaz Patel(35) glued a partnership of 104 runs for the 10th wicket. Abrar Ahmed was the pick of the bowlers for Pakistan in the first innings as he scalped 4 wickets. Naseem Shah and Agha Salman scalped 3 wickets each.
Earlier in the match, New Zealand won the toss and elected to bat first. They scored 449 in the first innings. Devon Conway scored his century, he played a fantastic inning of 122 runs. Tom Latham and Tom Blundell scored 71 and 51 runs respectively in the first innings. Interestingly in the first innings. Pakistan struggled to pick the last wicket of the blackcaps, as Matt Henry(68*) and Ajaz Patel(35) glued a partnership of 104 runs for the 10th wicket. Abrar Ahmed was the pick of the bowlers for Pakistan in the first innings as he scalped 4 wickets. Naseem Shah and Agha Salman scalped 3 wickets each.
Naseem Shah and Agha Salman scalped 3 wickets each. In reply, Pakistan were bundled out for 408 runs. Their last wicket fell in the first over of day 4. Imam-Ul-Haq scored 83 runs in the first innings. Saud Shakeel and Sarfaraz Ahmed held the innings pretty well after Pakistan lost a couple of wickets in the middle overs. This duo stitched a partnership of 150 runs for the 5th wicket. But once Sarfaraz Ahmed (78) got out no other batter was able to settle in the middle.
Saud Shakeel held one end pretty well but he didn't get any support from the other end. Saud Shakeel remained unbeaten on 125*. Ish Sodhi and Ajaz Patel scalped three wickets each for New Zealand. This duo ripped off the lower middle order of Pakistan in the first innings.
New Zealand got off to a poor start in the second innings as they lost their opener Devon Conway for a golden duck in the second over. Tom Blundell and Michael Bracewell steered the ship for blackcaps as they knitted a partnership of 127 runs for the 5th wicket. Michael Bracewell remained unbeaten on 74. Tim Southee took a brave decision on day 4 as he declared the innings after scoring 277 runs. They had a lead of 318 runs. Pakistan came onto bat on day 4 for 3 overs and got off to the worst possible start. They lost 2 wickets without even scoring a run.
Saud Shakeel held one end pretty well but he didn't get any support from the other end. Saud Shakeel remained unbeaten on 125*. Ish Sodhi and Ajaz Patel scalped three wickets each for New Zealand. This duo ripped off the lower middle order of Pakistan in the first innings.
New Zealand got off to a poor start in the second innings as they lost their opener Devon Conway for a golden duck in the second over. Tom Blundell and Michael Bracewell steered the ship for blackcaps as they knitted a partnership of 127 runs for the 5th wicket. Michael Bracewell remained unbeaten on 74. Tim Southee took a brave decision on day 4 as he declared the innings after scoring 277 runs. They had a lead of 318 runs. Pakistan came onto bat on day 4 for 3 overs and got off to the worst possible start. They lost 2 wickets without even scoring a run.
Pakistan started day 5 with a positive approach. Imam-Ul-Haq and Shan Masood resumed the innings for Pakistan. Both the batters looked solid in the middle. In the urge of scoring runs, Imam gave away his wicket after scoring 12 runs. Kiwis were pumped up with this wicket. Pakistan lost a couple of quick wickets. Pakistan's skipper walked back after scoring 27 runs, and Shan Masood (35 ) followed him. Pakistan lost half of its side at a score of just 80 runs.
Sarfaraz Ahmed and Saud Shakeel steered the sinking ship as they did in the first innings. They got well settled in the middle and looked solid with their defense. This duo glued a partnership of 123 runs for the 6th wicket. Sarfaraz Ahmed played an anchor role in this partnership. Saud Shakeel departed after playing an ultra-defensive knock of 32 runs off 146 balls. Sarfaraz Ahmed kept the scoreboard ticking and he got to his 4th test century. It was his first century in test cricket after almost 9 years🙌.
Sarfaraz Ahmed was accompanied by Agha Salman. They knitted a partnership of 70 runs for the 7th wicket. Matt Henry got the breakthrough 82nd over and brought the kiwis back into the game. Agha Salman walked back after scoring 30 runs. The second new ball did the trick for the kiwis as Southee got the wicket of Hasan Ali in the 85th over.
Sarfaraz departed after playing a magnificent knock of 118 runs. Naseem Shah and Abrar Ahmed did well to tackle the balls for the last wicket and saved Pakistan from a loss. Magnificent innings by Sarfaraz Ahmed went in vain. Michael Bracewell was the pick of the bowlers for the blackcaps in the 2nd innings as he scalped 4 wickets. Ish Sodhi and Tim Southee scalped a couple of wickets each.
Both the matches of this series ended up as a draw, so the captains will share the trophy. Both teams are already out of the WTC.
Stay tuned with us as we will be back with the post-match ceremony shortly.
Sarfaraz Ahmed and Saud Shakeel steered the sinking ship as they did in the first innings. They got well settled in the middle and looked solid with their defense. This duo glued a partnership of 123 runs for the 6th wicket. Sarfaraz Ahmed played an anchor role in this partnership. Saud Shakeel departed after playing an ultra-defensive knock of 32 runs off 146 balls. Sarfaraz Ahmed kept the scoreboard ticking and he got to his 4th test century. It was his first century in test cricket after almost 9 years🙌.
Sarfaraz Ahmed was accompanied by Agha Salman. They knitted a partnership of 70 runs for the 7th wicket. Matt Henry got the breakthrough 82nd over and brought the kiwis back into the game. Agha Salman walked back after scoring 30 runs. The second new ball did the trick for the kiwis as Southee got the wicket of Hasan Ali in the 85th over.
Sarfaraz departed after playing a magnificent knock of 118 runs. Naseem Shah and Abrar Ahmed did well to tackle the balls for the last wicket and saved Pakistan from a loss. Magnificent innings by Sarfaraz Ahmed went in vain. Michael Bracewell was the pick of the bowlers for the blackcaps in the 2nd innings as he scalped 4 wickets. Ish Sodhi and Tim Southee scalped a couple of wickets each.
Both the matches of this series ended up as a draw, so the captains will share the trophy. Both teams are already out of the WTC.
Stay tuned with us as we will be back with the post-match ceremony shortly.
Time for the post-match ceremony!!!
Sarfaraz Ahmed is the player of the match and player of the series. The crowd is chanting his name.
Sarfaraz Ahmed: "I was present with the team since 4 years but wasn't getting the chance. I wanted to contribute in every way possible and thankfully I got the chance now. I was very nervous when I came out to bat in the first innings, the captain gave me the confidence and so did the other teammates. My form was good in domestic cricket, I backed that and did well.
When 140 runs were left, the message was to go after the ball. If we didn't have lost the wickets there, we would have gone for the victory. This was a 4th innings century and playing in the 4th innings is never easy in any conditions so this is my best century. The Karachi crowd has always support me. I request them to come to watch the ODIs and keep supporting me and the both teams."
When 140 runs were left, the message was to go after the ball. If we didn't have lost the wickets there, we would have gone for the victory. This was a 4th innings century and playing in the 4th innings is never easy in any conditions so this is my best century. The Karachi crowd has always support me. I request them to come to watch the ODIs and keep supporting me and the both teams."
Babar Azam(Pakistan Skipper): " Definitely, our plan was to take the match deep and get closer to the target. Our plan was just to keep things simple, and see in the end how things goes. We tried to build the partnership in the middle phase, and the way Sarfaraz and Saud played was really good. After the Tea, we tried to play freely and I guess we did but we lost a few wickets.
After the wicket of Salman, we just gave up and tried to draw the match. It's just a dream comeback for Sarfaraz whenever he got the chance he grabbed it with both hands, his work ethic is really good, and his confidence and belief are always positive."
After the wicket of Salman, we just gave up and tried to draw the match. It's just a dream comeback for Sarfaraz whenever he got the chance he grabbed it with both hands, his work ethic is really good, and his confidence and belief are always positive."
Tim Southee (New Zealand Captain): "Yeah, a great end to ten days of pretty tough cricket. We were in a position to push for the win. But the way Sarfaraz played did put us on the back foot. It is a funny game, and we did see at the last moment it was up for grabs for both the teams.
Ish Sodi and Michael Bracewell have developed as bowlers and that's great. We knew with the nature of the surface, something can happen late. But what Sarfaraz did was special, and it made the difference. Yes, tough ten days of cricket, so a little shift to some other format is good."
Ish Sodi and Michael Bracewell have developed as bowlers and that's great. We knew with the nature of the surface, something can happen late. But what Sarfaraz did was special, and it made the difference. Yes, tough ten days of cricket, so a little shift to some other format is good."
Tim Southee and Babar Azam shares the trophy 🏆 as both the matches of this series ended up as a draw.
That brings us to the end of the coverage of this fantastic test match between Pakistan and New Zealand. Unfortunately, it ended as a draw, but it was an exciting encounter. Do join us for all the upcoming games from all around the globe. For now, it's me Hitesh Peddurwar signing off along with my co-commentators Ninaad Dixit and Probuddha Bhattacharya, and scorer/analyst Dushyant Madhukar Kumar. Until then stay safe.